Leu Numismatik AG
Auction 3 27 Oct 2018
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CARIA. Antioch ad Maeandrum. Circa 168/150-133 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 16.39 g, 12 h), Diotrephes, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo to right with bow and quiver over his shoulder. Rev. ANTIOXEΩN - ΔIOTPΕΦΗΣ Zebu bull standing left on maeander pattern. BMC -. CNG 108 (2018), 231. HN online 1528 (three specimens). Leschhorn, Lexicon of Greek Coin Inscriptions -. McClean -. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG Lockett -. SNG von Aulock -. Weber -. Winterthur -. Extremely rare, apparently only the fourth known example. Patchy toning, otherwise, good very fine.
What sets this coin apart from the previous lot, apart from the lack of an 'imitative' Stephanophoric wreath (in the form of a maeander pattern border), is that the head of Apollo shows a surprising individuality: it is clearly reminiscent of Seleukid royal portraits, most notably that of Demetrios II in his first reign (146-138 BC), which is a radical change to the design that can hardly have been a coincidence.
What sets this coin apart from the previous lot, apart from the lack of an 'imitative' Stephanophoric wreath (in the form of a maeander pattern border), is that the head of Apollo shows a surprising individuality: it is clearly reminiscent of Seleukid royal portraits, most notably that of Demetrios II in his first reign (146-138 BC), which is a radical change to the design that can hardly have been a coincidence.